Divine Selection
Sermon March 15, 2026, 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Divine Selection
Reverend Fred Okello
Up until this point in Israel’s monarchy, as recorded in the book of 1 Sam, things had gone poorly. Saul had been rejected as king because of continual disobedience. Samuel mourned the rejection of Saul. God told Samuel to travel to Bethlehem, and there he was to anoint Israel’s next king from Jesse’s family.
The story contrasts human judgment with divine choice. Samuel looked at Jesse’s sons and figured the oldest son must be the pick. After all, Eliab looked the part. But God had other ideas. God gently rebuked Samuel with a principle that starts the Book of Samuel:
“For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7.
Samuel mourned for Saul because he understood what was lost. Saul was chosen king at a young age and carried great potential. But as king, he failed to follow God’s instructions.
God told Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil and go,” the declaration that God still has a plan even when our leaders fail. The call to Bethlehem is a declaration that a new chapter in Israel’s story was about to begin.
Too often, the Church puts too much emotional investment in past failures, lost opportunities, or broken leadership. We continue to mourn where we should be moving on. God frequently calls His people from lament to launchpad.
As a student of organizational leadership, I have learned that most business case studies on leadership failure show that organizations rebound when leaders stop hemorrhaging and start focusing on the vision for the future. The biblical story echoes this same principle: It’s time to stop mourning and prepare for the journey ahead.
When Samuel first saw Eliab he rushed to tell God that this young man must be the king. In Jesse’s household, Eliab was probably the guy who looked like a king. Tall, strong, and handsome. God replied to Samuel:
“Do not consider him, for I have rejected him. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
God uses this verse to unveil a major theme that occurs throughout scripture:
God judges the heart.
• Building a Godly kingdom isn’t about packaging or public image
• Outside success does not determine inner character.
You can learn that principle from leadership failure studies too. Researchers who have studied executive failure have discovered something similar:
Most leadership failures are tied to ethical problems, not skill deficiency. The church should invest in character development far more than in public awareness.
Seven of Jesse’s sons were presented before Samuel. Each one had an opportunity. Samuel inquired if Jesse had any more sons. He had one other son, David.
David was the youngest son and was taking care of the flock. Unlike his older brothers, David was probably the least expected to become king. Acts 13: 22 describes David as “a man after God’s own heart,” yet here he was hiding out on the outskirts of society, caring for animals.
Notice where God often shows up in life. He doesn’t center his work on the leader who has it all together. He chooses the overlooked. Here are other examples in the bible:
• Moses ran from leadership. The leader who brought Israel out of Egypt spent 40 years in exile.
• Gideon stated that he was the least in his family when called by God.
• Mary was a young woman from an unpronounceable town.
If you’ve ever felt overlooked or underrated, you can still serve a purpose in the Kingdom.
David walked before Samuel, and the prophet immediately anointed him king. “Then Samuel poured the oil on his head and kissed him, saying, “Is not he the youngest? Indeed, the LORD has anointed him as ruler over his brothers.” From that day forward, the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.” 1 Samuel 16:13, 13
David didn’t just receive good news; he received the power to lead. Two things to notice about David:
1. Called by God. David was chosen before his character was polished by the throne.
2. Powered by God. When we obey God and step out in faith, He supplies the necessary power.
The “unknown warrior period” is a period when a person serves faithfully without recognition, visibility, or public affirmation. And we have many of those kinds of people! Life can take a season where we are called by God but not yet acknowledged by man. David was hidden away in sheep fields while God was preparing him for kingship.
Many of your stories will line up with this same truth. The Lord looks at the heart. David wasn’t anointed king because of his stature or strength. King Saul had those qualities, and look how that turned out. David was chosen because he was after God’s own heart.
God reminds us that He sees our hearts. When we know Christ, we produce the visible fruit of goodness, righteousness, and truth, allowing God’s light to expose and remove what belongs to darkness. Walk in that truth, and your life will shine like never before.